Professional photographers can show rooms, such as this spacious master bedroom in a Port Chester home for sale, in its best possible light. / Peter Carr/The Journal News

Written by

Katie Schlientz

For The Journal News

A professional can capture special imagery such as this night shot. / MCT

Prefer the DIY approach?

A few tips from photographer Robin London of Robin G. London Photography in White Plains, will have you shooting like a pro! 1. Try to shoot the room with an even light to avoid any bright spots or dark shadows. If a showcase room faces east in the morning or west in the late afternoon, it will be beneficial to wait for that room to be illuminated naturally by sunrise or sunset. 2. Use your flash. Combining available light and your camera’s flash will make for a very natural cozy look. 3. Less is more. Keeping the frame clean and simple allows the viewer to appreciate the natural lines and shapes of the room. Avoid excess clutter!

We’ve all been there. There’s a little downtime at the office and you’re right in front of your computer. Who says you can’t pop open your browser and look through the pictures of your favorite dream home? No, we’re not talking Pinterest.

You can find some of the best designed homes beautifully displayed right on the MLS website — even if you’re not in the market to buy.

But what if you are in the market to sell? You want your house to look as good — if not better! — as the homes already on the market.

According to Irene Stahl, a broker for Houlihan Lawrence, the real estate business is Internet, and thus photo, driven.

“Over 90 percent of the initial real estate search is done online,” she says. “People are making decisions based on photographs. I think it’s essential to use a professional photographer.”

Stahl has been in the business for more than 26 years, primarily in the Scarsdale and Edgemont communities. She’s seen firsthand the pros and cons of using professional photography. “People make decisions on what’s visually appealing.”

William Ford-Sussman, a real estate agent for Coldwell Banker serving the Rivertowns, agrees. “Buyers decipher which house they are going to see, and which houses they are going the skip, based on the photographs. You want to entice them.”

Looking to hire a professional photographer? Here’s what you need to know:

1. Talk to your Realtor or broker first. Stahl says this service is generally part of the commission fee. “You should make sure the Realtor is using a professional photographer — they know what they are doing in terms of angles and lighting.” Ford-Sussman points out many Realtors already have an established partnership with photographers so you won’t have to search on your own.

2. Timing is key. Stahl notes that you want to make sure you have the photographs taken BEFORE the house is listed on the MLS site. “If they aren’t on the MLS site with the listing, the images won’t be available on some of the partner sites. If there are no photographs, the buyer tends to think the seller is hiding something, or that the house may be crummy.”

3. Don’t underestimate the power of staging. Stahl recommends clients remove some knickknacks, but not all. “You don’t want to depersonalize the home — keeping a few photographs maintains the warmth of your home.” In addition, Ford-Sussman says that he and his photographer help stage the home before any photographs are taken.

4. Skip the videos. “You want to leave a little to the imagination,” Ford-Sussman says. “Videos take up too much time for the buyer and they don’t always give you the best perspective.